Day 16

I'm totally getting used to eating this way.  No cravings or "wants" so far this week.  I'm happy about that.  I'm feeling good so far, energy level has been consistent, and mood is also (I like to think I am a pretty calm, even-mooded person, anyway)  LOL

For lunch I had pork roast, some blanched asparagus spears, walnut red pepper dip and radish slices, with some blueberries, and one of my muffins.  I felt a little full, actually.  I decided to take some hot green tea with me to work, and added a tablespoon of coconut oil.  It was kinda yucky, though.  I'm not a fan of tea unless it has a sweet flavor to it, plus putting the coconut oil in it made it have a funny taste.  I'm trying to get more coconut oil into my diet because of all it's benefits: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/coconut-oil-health-benefits/#axzz1jlxY5qfX

I left work a bit early this evening to attend my second training session with my marathon training group.  Two weeks ago today is when I sprained my ankle.  I ran with a group of 20 run/walkers.  We run 2 minutes, then walk 1 minute.  I'm really liking this run/walk type training.  I've been doing this for the past year, actually.  We did 2..8 miles which was a lot shorter than I was expecting to run, so that was kind of good considering I'm still trying to get my ankle back to normal.  The first half of the run the pace was very comfortable.  We are running on sidewalks, so you are somewhat confined to follow the pace of the person in front of you.  Halfway through we started doing "striders", where we pick up the pace for one minute.  Once we started these, my ankle started to get a bit irritated (plus there were a couple short hills), and I started to fall back, and my heart rate started to increase.  I finished the run near the back, but felt ok overall. 

I think I am going to skip the Tuesday night group runs, though.  Here's why: I am not comfortable running with a large group on sidewalks and side roads with terrain that I am not familiar with- all because of my unsteady ankles, which make it even more risky that it's dark and can't see more than a few steps in front of me.  Also because I try too hard to keep up with the group, which raises my heart rate above the "fat burning zone", which before "The Primal Blueprint" and reading the research, etc on marksdailyapple.com, I thought keeping the heart rate high was a good thing... but it's not!  Not for an extended period of time, at least.  So I really want to keep my heart rate lower so I am burning my fat stores, and not glucose.  The last reason is because I don't want to leave work early.

Here is what Mark Sisson says about chronic high-level aerobic work (such as running):



The costs of chronic (repetitious) mid- and high-level aerobic work
- requires large amounts of dietary carbohydrates (SUGAR)
- decreases efficient fat metabolism
- increases stress hormone cortisol
- increases systemic inflammation
- increases oxidative damage (free radical production)
- boring!

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/case-against-cardio/#ixzz1jm0paEGq

 

 

So I think I'll be better off to run on my own during the week (Cooper will love that, too!), then do Saturday long runs with the training group- which are in the morning during daylight, and at a slower pace.

It's so crazy how my thoughts have changed so much regarding nutrition and exercise over the past 3 months since I've discovered paleo/primal.  It's so true how we have been misled to believe certain ideas because others have told us it was the "right way".  Now I know better and I continue to learn and do the research so that I can live my life to the fullest and be healthy in mind, body and spirit!  I just hope my friends and family don't mind that I try to convince and teach them, also!  ;o)

~Tina